Saudi Arabia and Qatar signed an agreement yesterday (December 8th), to construct a high-speed rail line connecting the capitals of the two countries.
According to the official statement, the “electric railway specifically for passengers” will connect King Salman International Airport in Riyadh to Hamad International Airport in Doha.
The train will travel at a speed exceeding 300 kilometers per hour, enabling passengers to travel between the two capitals in approximately two hours. This is compared to a direct flight between the two cities which takes about 90 minutes.
The statement indicates that the rail line, which is expected to take six years to complete, is projected to transport 10 million passengers annually and create 30,000 jobs in both countries.
The agreement was signed during the visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, to Riyadh and his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
The project, considered one of the most significant new infrastructural initiatives between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, is the latest step in improving relations between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia and its allies the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt cut off all diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017. They subjected Qatar to a temporary blockade to enforce their demands.
The four countries accused Qatar of supporting groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and attempting to forge closer ties with Iran. Doha denied these accusations. Qatar is a country with close relations with Islamists, including Hamas and the Taliban.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar were fully restored in January 2021 following a summit in the Saudi city of Al-Ula.
Mohammed bin Salman traveled to Doha in December 2021 as part of a regional tour, marking his first visit since the resolution of the tensions.
Since then, the leaders of the two countries have met regularly and collaborated in support of diplomatic initiatives, including calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Riyadh backed Doha after Israel’s initial attack on Qatar. At the time, Israel claimed it had targeted Hamas leaders in a residential compound in Doha. In that incident, at least six people were killed and four others were injured. No senior Hamas members were among the dead.
